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O Jerusalem

Introduction

O Ierusalem celebrates Saint Rupert. Hildegard re-founded his monastery in 1150 and moved there with her nuns. The original buildings were destroyed by the Normans (the ‘fools’ of the Sequence), providing Hildegard with a potent but implicit comparison between her monastery and Jerusalem, destroyed on Earth and rebuilt in Heaven (Revelations 21, whence some of the imagery of this Sequence is derived). The ‘living stones’ (‘vivis lapidibus’) have been taken from the hymn Urbs beata Ierusalem for the dedication of a church (but compare 1 Peter 2: 4–5). Perhaps Hildegard composed this Sequence for the dedication ceremony, or for its commemoration. In this case the ‘ostensio’ of stanza six may be an ostension, or ‘showing’, of the relics of Saint Rupert during the ceremony.

'I was spellbound by both the music and the presentation … and have remained so ever since … a jewel in Hyperion's crown' (Gramophone)'These hymns and sequences, most expertly performed and recorded, have excited much acclaim – and rightly so. A lovely CD.' (The Penguin Guide to Comp ...» More

O Jerusalem, city of gold, adorned with the purple of the King; O building of highest excellence which is a light never darkened.

Truly, you are resplendent in the dawn and the heat of the sun.

O blessed boyhood glimmering in the dawn, and O wonderful time of youth aflame in the sun.

For you, O noble Rupert, shimmer in these like a jewel, whence you cannot be hidden to fools; the valley cannot hide the mountain.

Your windows, Jerusalem, are wondrously adorned with topaz and sapphire.

As you blaze in the windows, O Rupert, you are revealed even to those whose faith is lukewarm – just as the valley cannot hide the mountain – crowned with roses, lilies and purple in a true revelation.

O Jerusalem, city of gold, adorned with the purple of the king; O building of highest excellence which is a light never darkened.

Truly, you are resplendent in the dawn and the heat of the sun.

O blessed boyhood glimmering in the dawn, and, O wonderful time of youth, aflame in the sun.

For you, O noble Rupert, shimmer in these like a jewel, whence you cannot be hidden to fools; the valley cannot hide the mountain.

Your windows, Jerusalem, with topaz and sapphire are wondrously adorned.

As you blaze in the windows, O Rupert, you are revealed even to those whose faith is lukewarm – just as the valley cannot hide the mountain – crowned with roses, lilies and purple in a true revelation.

O soft flower of the grassland, O sweet greenness of the apple, O garnered load without pith; none stoop to evil from that weight.

O sublime and unpolluted vessel, not drained in the dance of the old cave and not running with sores inflicted by the ancient enemy.

The Holy Spirit rings in you for you are numbered among the singers of heaven, and because you are honoured in Christ since you have no stain.

What a pure vessel you are, O Rupert, who, in your boyhood and in your youth, sighed after God in fear of God, and in the clasp of love, and in the sweetest odour of good works.

O Jerusalem, your foundation is laid with showering stones, which is with tax-gatherers and sinners who were stray sheep, but found by the Son of God they ran to you and were placed in you.

The your walls blaze with living stones, who by the greatest zeal of good will have flown like clouds in heaven.

And so your towers, O Jerusalem, glow and gleam in the dawn-redness and in the incandescence of the saints, and with all the treasures of God which you do not lack, O Jerusalem.

Whence you, O adorned ones, O crowned ones, who dwell in Jerusalem, and you, O Rupert, who are their friend in that dwelling, help us, servants labouring in exile.

O Jerusalem, city of gold, adorned with the purple of the King; O building of highest excellence which is a light never darkened.

Truly, you are resplendent in the dawn and the heat of the sun.

O blessed boyhood glimmering in the dawn, and O wonderful time of youth aflame in the sun.

For you, O noble Rupert, shimmer in these like a jewel, whence you cannot be hidden to fools; the valley cannot hide the mountain.

Your windows, Jerusalem, are wondrously adorned with topaz and sapphire.

As you blaze in the windows, O Rupert, you are revealed even to those whose faith is lukewarm – just as the valley cannot hide the mountain – crowned with roses, lilies and purple in a true revelation.